How to Clean Stuffed Animals
Good news! Most stuffed animals are safe to clean in your washing machine. For super furry ones or those with electronics or embellishments, it’s better to wash stuffed animals by hand or surface clean stuffed animals to be on the safe side. Step one, check the tag for washing instructions. Just follow those and you’re all set.
How to Wash Stuffed Animals in the Washer
Step 1:
Put the toy in a mesh laundry bag to wash. You can use a zippered pillowcase if you don’t have one or a regular pillowcase and knot it at the top to seal.
Step 2:
Make sure you use a separate bag/pillowcase for each toy.
Step 3:
Wash on delicate using cold water and the proper amount of your preferred Ivory Snow Liquid Detergent according to the size of the load as directed.
Step 4:
Run a second rinse on cold to make sure all the suds are out.
Step 5:
Remove from the bag and air dry over night or longer depending on the size of the toy.
How to Wash Stuffed Animals by Hand
Step 1:
Fill the basin halfway with cold water and add two tablespoons of Ivory Snow Stage 1: Newborn Liquid Detergent. If you prefer a fragrance free option, use Ivory Snow Fragrance Free Liquid Detergent instead.
Step 2:
Mix the solution well, then soak the plushy to gently squeeze your Ivory Snow solution all the way through. Make sure to completely avoid any electronic parts if there are any while doing this. If avoiding electronic parts isn’t possible, skip this method and use our next idea below (spot cleaning).
Step 3:
Use your fingers to gently rub any soiled areas clean, especially if the fabric is textured since wash cloths can catch and pull textured fabrics out.
Step 4:
Once you’re done washing, drain your sink and again gently squeeze (don’t wring it – this can disfigure the toy) to get all the water out.
Step 5:
Rinse under plain cold water and continue squeezing until the water runs free of suds, then air dry over night or longer depending on the size of the toy.
How to Surface Clean Stuffed Animals
Sometimes it’s a little too risky to submerge a beloved plushy in water to wash it. We get it – sometimes lovies turn into more than just another stuffy you got at the baby shower. Don’t worry, if this is a concern you can still get those cuties clean with spot cleaning and deodorizing.
Spot Cleaning
To spot clean stuffed animals, mix one teaspoon of your favorite Ivory Snow Liquid Detergent into one cup of cold water. First, do a spot test to check for discoloration by dipping a cotton swab into the solution and dabbing it on the back or bottom of the toy. If dye doesn’t come off the stuffy to the cotton swab, use just a small part of a wash cloth to lightly wipe the surface of the toy to remove grime. Use a fresh wash cloth dampened with just plain water to wipe away the detergent once you’re done and let it air dry.
Deodorizing
If you need to simply freshen up musty-smelling stuffies or want to bring back that new baby smell, shake them in a plastic bag (with plain baking soda or a small capful of Ivory Snow Blissfuls In-Wash Scent Booster. Let the toy sit in the bag once shaken for a few hours, then shake the powder off once you’ve removed it. You can use your vacuum cleaner on low to remove any residue of the powder (but be sure to clean your vacuum right after, baking soda can cake in vacuum tubes and cause clogs later).
How to Wash a Teddy Bear
Most teddy bears are furry or have embellishments for the eyes and nose. Some like the classic storytelling teddy (you know, batteries required but not included) have electronic compartments and wires. So, if you want to wash a teddy bear, overall we suggest surface cleaning. Same goes for if need to wash an old teddy bear since they tend to be more fragile. But if your old teddy seems strong enough to be handwashed, you can follow our step-by-step for handwashing stuffies here. If they seem safe to be throw in the washing machine, here are a few quick tips for how to do that. all of them, read on for our quick
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